Meet Donette Ambrosy

We recently connected with Donette Ambrosy and have shared our conversation below.

Donette, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Once it became clear to me that I wanted to pursue training as a Sound Therapist, I was hesitant at first to actually tell anyone or commit fully to the idea, because I simply didn’t see myself as a “healer” or anyone with special gifts. At the time, Sound Therapy was on the cusp of exploding in the United States, but it was still largely unknown to a lot of my friends and family, and I feared they would dismiss it as “woo-woo.” It took some really special people in my life to encourage me and champion the idea that I should listen to my calling. My husband was very supportive and encouraging, and my friend Carol really asked me some important questions about where my hesitations were coming from. She taught me about the power of manifestation, starting with the simple act of saying aloud to my friends and family, “I’m going to become a Sound Therapist.” She was absolutely right – this simple act created the ripples in the universe that were needed to manifest this future.

After receiving my first level of training, I faced my next obstacle of imposter syndrome. Part of the training covered how to listen intently to the quality of the vibrations of a sound healing instrument in the bio-energetic field of client- a way to assess for any imbalances in their field. I was certain that I did not possess the “special gifts” to ever be able to do this. Sources of insecurity can many times lead to avoidance for me, but in this case, I forced myself to attempt this in every session I conducted throughout my year-long practicum with case study clients. I was absolutely amazed to find that within a short period of time of tuning in to my intuition and my senses, I not only became very familiar with the “neutral” sound of my instruments, but also any subtle fluctuations in their sound or vibration in different parts of a client’s bio-energetic field. I think what was most effective was being so focused on the task at hand and the practice, that I “forgot” to be insecure and was better able to tune in to my intuition and latent abilities.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Through my business, Fine Tuning Sound Therapy, I am a practitioner of group sound baths as well as 1:1 Sound Therapy sessions in my South Minneapolis studio.

Sound therapy is a complementary alternative medicine that combines modern vibrational science and instruments with ancient sound healing traditions, such as shamanic drumming and Tibetan singing bowl meditation. I also practice Acutonics; applying the vibration of weighted tuning forks on the body’s acupoints and energy meridians, which has many of the same benefits of acupuncture, without the use of needles. In my 1:1 client work, I customize sessions to meet each client’s goals, whether they relate to physical pain, mental health or emotional struggles such as past traumas, mood, etc., or spiritual aspirations and higher consciousness.

I have collected a wide variety of high-quality specialized instruments, such as quartz crystal singing bowls, Himalayan bronze singing bowls, gongs, drums, chimes, tuning forks, and more. A typical customized 1:1 session may include Acutonics addressing relevant acupoints, the use of weighted tuning forks & Himalayan bowls played directly on the body to gently release areas of physical pain & tension, and a personalized meditative sound bath including the appropriate musical intervals, specific frequencies, and playing style to achieve the appropriate outcomes of relaxing, releasing, and reforming the client’s physical and subtle energies. I also love seeing clients for couples or duo sessions, where a couple or two friends can experience a private session together.

Every day, I feel more energized and passionate about this work and vibrational medicine as an exciting field. Albert Einstein said, “Future medicine will be the medicine of frequencies.” We’ve learned so much about how and why Sound Therapy works, including brainwave entrainment and the effect of therapeutic frequencies on physical and emotional healing. There is so much new information emerging all the time; it’s a really exciting time to be immersed in this field! I am so energized and fulfilled by seeing the wide range of healing responses in my clients and the positive impacts this accessible and non-invasive modality is having in their lives!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Passion, dedication, and a growth mindset.

Choosing a field that I am incredibly passionate about has been the absolute #1 factor in my success. My passion for the potential and reach of Sound Therapy has been the factor that has naturally fostered my dedication and growth mindset.

Aside from these things, proper training in Sound Therapy was certainly critical to my path of gaining deep knowledge of the science of vibration, how to technically play instruments, and how to apply specific frequencies and musical intervals associated with different outcomes. For my formal training, I obtained a diploma in Integral Sound Healing from Sound Healing Academy, which included two levels of extensive formal in-person training, but also a one-year case study practicum and additional self-paced online modules. I found the case study to be incredibly effective in helping me to get practical experience, how to hold space for clients emotionally while protecting my own energy, and overcoming my own imposter syndrome.

However, as we all know, running a business is not only about being skilled at your line of work, it also takes a tremendous amount of discipline, tenacity and acumen for actually running the business itself. Before I even finished Sound Therapy training, I took an online course with a local community college on the basics of entrepreneurship, which I would highly recommend to anyone thinking about launching a small business. It was an overwhelming amount of information all at once, so not everything “stuck” right away, but it exposed me to information and sources that I was able to return to later.

Since launching my practice, a growth mindset is what has kept the process fun and the business running smoothly and effectively, not only through growing my knowledge of my field, but also developing my brand “voice,” improving my skills at marketing, social media, and online presence, and collaboration. One of the most important fundamentals the entrepreneurship course taught me was that competition in a given field is not to be viewed as negative or threatening – it is a healthy sign that there is a market for your service. I have found so much enrichment in collaborating with and getting to know other Sound Therapists in my area – it’s a great outlet for “talking shop” and bouncing ideas off each other, as well as referring extra clients and opportunities to each other. It’s so energizing and rewarding to support each other and build each other up. A growth mindset has also led me to continual exploration of increased business acumen. Through enrollment in a county program supporting small businesses, I have found a plethora of free resources, such as webinars on topics like SEO optimization and marketing services.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

My top obstacle has been figuring out the most effective (yet affordable) ways to market my business and events. Building a meaningful strategy around social media has proven to be much trickier than I had originally anticipated, and I’ve had to work hard to understand some of the more esoteric aspects of how to build better reach and engagement while still maintaining my authentic “brand voice.” It is really contrary to my therapeutic approach or personal style to try to “convice” anyone that they need or want Sound Therapy, so I’ve struggled a bit with how to get the word out about my business and market it in a way that stays true to that value.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.finetuningsoundtherapy.com
• Instagram: @finetuningsoundtherapy
• Facebook: Fine Tuning Vibrational Therapeutics
• Other: Google Business: Fine Tuning Vibrational Therapeutics

Image Credits

Lael Primrose